Weight-bearing activity increases the risk of knee osteoarthritis with low leg muscle mass
Last reviewed: 14.06.2024
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Weight-bearing appears to be associated with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in people with low levels of lower-extremity muscle mass, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
Yahung Wu, MD, of the University Medical Center Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study using data from the Rotterdam Study. They included participants who had knee X-ray measurements taken at baseline and follow-up.
They assessed the incidence of knee OA as determined by x-rays and the incidence of symptomatic knee OA as determined by x-rays and a knee pain questionnaire. Various types of physical activity and their association with radiographic knee OA were analyzed. The study included 5003 people.
The researchers found that the incidence of knee OA was 8.4% over a mean follow-up of 6.33 years. They also found that higher weight bearing was associated with increased odds of knee OA, but not non-weight bearing.
Additionally, the association between weight-bearing and incident knee OA was observed only among patients in the lowest tertile of lower extremity muscle mass index, but not in the middle or high tertile.
"Although we did not find an association between recreational physical activity and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, we found that weight-bearing may increase the odds of radiographic knee osteoarthritis, but only among those with a low lower extremity muscle mass index," they write. Authors.
"Although physical activity is known for its many health benefits, our study suggests caution is needed when engaging in weight-bearing activities."